Forms of Backup Media
A Backup Article Contributed by Kris Metzger
What is Backup Media?
Backup is the saving of files onto another form of media. Media by a dictionary definition, is an intervening substance through which something else is transmitted or carried on. In the case of computers, we are talking about anything, except the computer itself. What is a media form of backup? Anything from a simple floppy disk to zip drives to CD's. These are all very reliable and popular to use. However, almost anything can have their bad moments. Care must be taken to protect their integrity.
Backup onto media can only be described as safe as you make it. Repeating, backup is the saving of files onto another form of media. The main idea is to make sure you never lose your precious files.
Backup on a Floppy Disk
Backup on a floppy disk is the oldest and most popular way to save your files. They have been around for about fifteen years and are small and easy to transport, which makes them so popular. Almost anyone with basic computer skills can backup on these little gems of technology. Although, they do have their limitations. Their size allows for only so much storage space, 1.44 MB at the most. Basically, they are a miniature hard drive with all of the same type of parts.
They use a similar type of magnetic coating that can be erased and rewritten. All in all, backup on a floppy disk can be described as safe, reliable, and easy to use. This makes them just what a typical computer user might need for backup. Considering the fact that most every computer has an internal floppy drive.
Backup on a Zip Drive
A zip drive is a similar type of media disk. It has the same type of parts as a floppy, except for the most important. The magnetic coating is of a much higher quality, increasing the storage space. They can store thousands of tracks per inch compared to a floppy. Also, the head mechanism is comparable to a hard disk, combined with a variable amount of sectors. Add all of these facts and you have a floppy that stores a tremendous amount of data. Backup on this form of media can be more reliable and should have all of the space anyone could ever need.
Backup on CD
A CD is a completely different type of media. They are so inexpensive and easy to make, that millions are reproduced by thousands of businesses every year. What else for, but to increase their business. Backup on this form of media can be a very good idea, since it takes nothing short of a meltdown to destroy these disks. Although, a simple scratch can cause a skip in music or a failure to read the data.
The amazing fact about these disks is how tiny the data track is. They are 0.5 microns wide and 1.5 microns between the tracks. Looking at it in a different way, these tracks are 125 nanometers high. By the way, a nanometer is one billionth of a meter. Going back to the data tracks, you will find something quite unbelievable. The track itself, stretched into a straight line is about 3.5 miles long. Imagine backup on this form of media. You could never go wrong.
